Mynd: Sigríður Hagalín Björnsdótt
Athugið þessi frétt er meira en 1 ára gömul.
University campus flooded as water main bursts
The University of Iceland main campus is today in chaos and all teaching, research, and services in the main building, Háskólatorg, Gimli, Lögberg, and Árnagarður are suspended until this afternoon, at the earliest. A cold water main on Suðurgata ruptured during the night, flooding the campus with over 2,000 tonnes of water.
Thousands of square metres of university premises are underwater and returning the buildings to normal operation is going to be a major task. The fire brigade is still working to pump water out of classrooms and other facilities.
A statement from the Veitur utilities company says that the leak was discovered around 01.00, when the distribution system west of Snorrabraut registered a significant drop in pressure.
The water flooded out of the broken pipe for 75 minutes before the supply could be cut, and 2,250 tonnes of water escaped.
Veitur information officer Ólöf Snæhólm Baldursdóttir told RÚV that work has been underway to renew water mains along Suðurgata and that the incident is connected to that work.
She adds that all customers west of Snorrabraut should now have cold water supplies again, following the loss of pressure overnight.
